Children must not be ‘blighted’ in these unparalleled times, says Ulster Teachers’ union

“The situation is unprecedented and our way forward as yet relatively unknown but our priority must be – and it always is – our pupils’ well-being and education,” said Jacquie White, General Secretary of the Ulster Teachers’ Union.

“They must be able to continue in a healthy childhood through these extraordinary circumstances, especially the most vulnerable.

“They must not become collateral damage.

“Though many schools have already been preparing for what was going to be an inevitability, we had repeatedly been asking for a time frame towards which we could work in regard to total closure.

“Now we hope that the Minister will consult closely with us in the best way forward because the wealth of academic and expert knowledge coupled with the experience banked within our profession is unparalleled.”

She added: “What must happen now is the best possible orderly transition as opposed to the chaos of what was happening as parents and some schools made their own decisions because they lacked direction and reassurance.

“Our teachers too must be assured of all necessary support from other sectors and the wider community and trust in the profession is paramount.

“The situation, however, continues to be fluid and at the moment we have many unanswered questions to numerous complicated issues which will have to be addressed sooner rather than later.

“This will be a huge task for our teachers, parents, communities and societies. It will not be easy as the sheer scale of what we’re facing means a range of solutions may have to be tried before each area knows what works best for it.

“We would ask for patience and for support for our teachers as they continue in the frontline of this crisis to ensure our children’s childhoods are not blighted by these unparalleled times.”